Звёздные войны. Эпизод I: Схватка джедаев

2000 video game

Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is an action Star Wars video game set during the time frame of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. The game was first released for the PlayStation, and afterwards for the Dreamcast and the Game Boy Advance (the latter under the title Star Wars: Jedi Power Battles).

Jedi Power Battles is a mix of a platform game and a beat 'em up. Emphasis is placed both on completing jumping sequences and defeating enemies. Players can choose from one of five prequel era Jedi and run, jump, slash, and use the Force through the game's ten levels, starting on the Trade Federation Battleship and ending with the battle against Darth Maul on Naboo. The player's primary weapon is a lightsaber used to fight through waves of enemies and deflect blaster shots. The lightsaber combat is rather simplified with a system that lets the player lock on to the nearest enemy using the R1 button. Items and the force can also be used for special attacks. On most levels jumping puzzles make up a large portion of the challenge. There are a few segments in which the player can pilot various craft. The single player campaign can also be played in cooperative mode with a second player, while the Dreamcast version has an additional training mode and a two player duel mode. As players progress additional lightsaber combos and force powers are unlocked. Five primary characters are available for players to use; Jedi Padawan Obi Wan Kenobi, and Jedi Masters Qui Gon Jinn, Mace Windu, Adi Gallia and Plo Koon, with the latter two being unavailable in the Game Boy Advance version. Characters have specific lightsaber styles, force powers, weaknesses and strengths. Characters were developed to have not only unique force abilities and lightsaber combos, but different lightsaber colors as well. Three characters had not yet had an on screen appearance wielding their lightsabers. These colors matched the marketing coordination at the time seen in the Kenner toyline and Dark Horse comics. Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Adi Gallia and Plo Koon utilize blue, crimson and orange lightsabers in the game, respectively. Windu would go on to change to a purple color for his saber in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. In the sequels Lucas would reveal that majority of Jedi only carry blue or green blades. Yoda was also off limits as an unlockable character and it was not permitted to show him with a lightsaber, instead the sound of his laughter is heard every time the player collects a power up. Jedi Power Battles was first unveiled in March 2000 via a gameplay trailer. Following the PlayStation release, developers sought to make improvements for the then upcoming Dreamcast version. Amongst improvements were 60 frames per second gameplay, tweaks to platforming sections, and a bugfix that ensured unlockable character Darth Maul would use both blades of his lightsaber, unlike his single blade on the PlayStation. Improvements in character animation were also made, and the game runs on a higher resolution. HotGen Studios developed a GameBoy Advance game based on Jedi Power Battles. It was released a full year after the console releases in the fall of 2001.

The Dreamcast version received "generally favorable reviews", while the Game Boy Advance version received "mixed" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Six issues later, Extreme Ahab said of the Dreamcast version, "if you have a high tolerance for falling repeatedly to your virtual death, JPB will reward you with spectacular visuals and hours of Star Wars fun." The game placed 30th in Game Informer'''s top 30 Star Wars games list in 2016. Reviewers were critical of the game's high difficulty. Edwin Evans Thirlwell of Vice magazine expressed fondness for the game's cooperative mode. He noted that while the game was "dreadful" he praised the incentive for two players to work together to complete the game. He cited modern games such as those in the Call of Duty series, noting that with online play the desire to work as a team is lessened. This in turn brought his point that Jedi Power Battles'' provides an opportunity for two people to sit together and truly cooperatively work through the game.